Band-tightener



V. HAGONA.

v BAND TIGHTENEH.

. 1918. 1,367,094. Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

t@ NVENTOH Br i, l

N wanner NlTlflD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VINCENT BELG-DNA. Ol l5lit()KLYN,` NEVE" YORK, .I-iSSZlGrNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, T0 CARY MANUFACTUBN CDMPAIWY. 0l? BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ACORPORA- Tron or New YORK.'

HAND-T1GHTENER Application filed To all whom it may concern:

Be it lrnown that l, VINCENT lli-icona, a citizen ot the United States,residing` at the city of New York, borough off Brooklyn, county oiKings, and State of New Yorlr,

have invented a certain new and useiul Bandlipghtener, of which thefollowing is a snecication.

This invention is a device adapted for drawing a band tightly around ashipping; package, snch vas a box, case, shook, or any other container.

The object in view is to automa icall'y grip a band, and to stretch it,by the operation of a. sinpgle instrumentality whereby iinportantfunctions are secured, sach as the expeditious vapplication of the bandto the shipping` package, said band is gripped so securely that itcannot become released 'trein the stretching device during@ theoperation of placing; tension thereon, and the band stretched to adesired extent with view 'to embeddino; it partially in the noaterial ofthe `shipping package, particularly at the corners thereof, so that theband cannot ordinarily become displaced upon the 'package and said bandope 'ates effectivelyY in binding; together the panels, etc., of saidshipping; package.

lin a practical embodiment of the invention, l employ a plurality ofmembers or heads, means for effecting' a relative more'V ment betweenthere, and gripping means actuated by said relative-movement so as toinitially ,grip a band and to remain in gripcontact therewith during therelative movement between the heads. whereby a saving in time and laboris effected for the reason that the operator is not required to effect bv hand the erippinnV contact of the stretching,r instrumentality `withthe hand.

In a constructional form oft-he invention, the band-gripping means oneach head consiste of a. pivoted member forming a jaw, which j awcoperates with a second jaw formed by a part of the head, and the twosaid jaws act to rmly grip the band.` The pivoted jaw is provided with acam, the lat ter being positioned for contact with a movable part, theaction oi. which moves the pivoted 'aw or member into operative positionfor gripping the band.

The means for effecting the relative morenient between the heads is ascrew spindle,

Specicatioqn of Letters Patent.

annary 30, 1918.

Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

Serial No. 214521.

and with said spindle coperates two of' the aforesaidmovable parts, thelatter being so related to the spindle thatsaid parts are actuated bythe spindle when it is rotated,

as a result of which the movable parts act uponthe cams oi the pivotedjaws in a manner to effect the movement of the jaws into grippingengagement with the band prior to, or at: the time, the'screw spindleacts upon the heads to effect the relative movement between said heads.`

lt is thus apparent that a singleinstrumentality, 1'.. e. the screwspindle, actnates the grippinp;V jaws andiinparts movement to the heads,thus facilitating the operation of stretching' the band around ashipping` package.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein-aFioure 1 is a side elevation .ot a bandstretching instrument embodying;this invention. i

Fig. is a sectional plan view thereof, on the line Qf-t of Fie". l,showing; a portion of a shipping package. Y

Fig. 3 is an elevation looking; at the righthand end of Fins. l and Ina, practical embodiment of the inven tion., the tighten-in,e` deviceconsists of members or headsl and ll. a snide stem C and a screw spindleD. `The rduide stem is attached to one head, as B, by a crosspin c, sothat the stem is iafixed relation to said head. whereas the stern C andhead A are slidably fitted together by passino: the stem loosely throughan opening in the head A, whereby the stem C operates to retainthe headsA. B in parallel relation.

Each of heads A and B is provided with a transverse opening a and inaddition thereto 'each head is provided with a recess or guideway ZJ,the recess of the head A being on the opposite side of the corresponding recess in the head B, as will be apparent byreference to Fier. l.

E is a nut fitted loosely 1n the opening a of head A. said nut beingprovided with an axially threaded opening,` into which isV s^rewed thethreaded screw l). As shown, the screw D is provided with a singlecontinuous thread, a part ofthe screw spindle being plain or smooth asat d. Said spindle l the complemental Y with the "head and shippinglngtot member or head B, and within this bushing is loosely ournaled thesmooth portion Z of screw spindle D, see Fig. 2.

The nut la and bushing F are provided with members G and l-l,respectively, each member being in the form ot' an oblong,` orrectangular plate, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3. The rettangularmembers or plates G and H are unitary with the nut and bushing,respectively, and said members or plates G and H are fitted loosely inthe recesses Z1 of heads A B, respectively. The marginal portions of themembers G andV H are in Contact with the edges or walls of the recessesZ2 so as to have a sliding fit therein, whereby the members G and Hoperate to restrain the nut E and bushing l? from rotative movementwithin the heads A and B when the screw spindle is rotated, whereas themembers G and H are adapted to have a limited sliding movement withinthe recesses l) ot the heads A and B, which sliding; movement is due tothe action of the screw spindle upon the nut E and to the action ofcertain collars on the spindle upon the bushingF F, as will hereinafterappear.

Theheads A and B carry band-grripping devices l dl, respectively, thesame being pivotally supported upon the heads and being positioned inoperative relation to the members G and H so as to be actuated thereby.Each band-gripping device is in the form or" a plate fitted against onetace'or side of the head, said plate beine provided with lugs or ears z'and beinepivotally connected by a pin j'to the head, whereby thebandgripping plate is adapted i'or movement is capable or" anindependent pivotal movement relatively to said head.

lfach head or member is provided in a lower corner thereof with a grooveand the grippinq' plate positioned opposite to said groove k is providedwith similar or complemental groove Z, whereby the grooves la' and l arein facing' relation Vand in the lower portion of the head and the plate,so that a wire band resting in Contact with'the package will be receivedwithin the lgrooves vand Z, as will more clearly appear by reference toFigs. l and 3.

The groove 7c of each head Jthus constitutes a gripping jaw with whichcooperates he groove of one plate,.the latter acting as gripping jaw.The plates I and J extend upwardly for suitable distances above thepivotal pins ,pand said platesare provided with beveled edee portions' mand n. the bevel m on the gripping' plate yI being adjacent the slidingplate G, whereas the bevel n on the, gripping` plate J is adjacent theslidable plate H. The sli-dingplates G and ll are provided with bevelededges o and p2, respectively. and these bevel d edges of the slidingyplates are adapted for contact with the beveled edges m and n ot theAttripl'iinp' plates l and fl, respectively, sce Fie'. 2, whereby a camaction is secured by the contact oi` the slidingY plates with thepivoted ,gripping plates upon the rotation ot the screw spindle.

rEhe screw D acts directly upon the nut E to impart a limited traveling1movement to the nut and to the plate (l, but as the screw is mountedloosely in the bushing lf and moves endwise with the nut E for a limitcdditance, l Atind it desirable to employ collars L and M on the smoothportion l of the s'rew spindle. As shown. the collar lll is turned on orintegral with (he spindle, whereas the other collar l1 is made fast withthe spindle by a set screw li. The two collars are fast with the spindlenear the respective ends oi the bushing' F and sliding plate H, and oneor the other of these collars is adapted for engagement with thebushine` F or plate lil accordingT to the direction in which the screwspindle is turned.

The device as thus 'lar described is constructed for the handenV'ippinff plates to be actuated automatically' b v the rotation o1" thescrew spindle, so that it is not necessary for the operator tomanipulate either o? (he, clamps l' and fl to ctlfect tho en agement ol.said cla-mos with the band. Under somo ouditions. however, it may l'edesirable to manu-, f operate the opine plates l and i. ich purpose cachplete is provide-.l with thumb screw which is threaded into an opening'tapped into tho upper part of the plate, whereby the screw may be turnedby and into enqao meut with a part of the in order to turn the plate onits hereby bring the lower Q'ro'n'cd y, plato into position ior gripping@tement with the band which is adopted occupy the .eroe-ves Z2 and l.Prior to usino: the instrument. the screw spindle is turned in onedirection so as to art sliding' movement to nut and plate A and holdingInut E trom rotation,

but when the nut and plate are seated against further silding movementwith re` spect to head then the continued turningy ot' screw l) impartsc, limil hea d being' in lapping' relation. placed upon the package withthe clamps the latter sliding within the recess f) oi" fl T Lll)

till

I and J in open positihs, whereby-the heads and thegripping members areadapted for engagement with the band near its end portions withoutlifting said band awaj'r from contact with. the shipping package. Thescrew spindle is now turned in an opposite direction. so as to inipartsliding `motion to the nut E and the plate (l, the learn edge 0 of whichplate G rides on the cam edge m of gripping plate l so as to move thelatter into gripping engagement `with one end nortion of the wire band.Thescrew spindle is tnrnedso that an endwise movement is given to thespindle ,tor a limited distance in order to brine the collar M intoContact with `plate H, which movement results in the cam edge p2 ot theplate ll sliding over the cam edge nl oig the plate d, therebv turningthe plate J so that said plate will coperate with the head l in grinningthe band near its other end portion. The band having been grinned by theautomatic action olf the screw spindle upon the two clamps. the operatorcontinues to turn the screw spindle in a direction to move the headv Atoward the head B,` thus .stretchinou the band in two directions anddrawing the band so ti rrhtly arotuul the paolicase as to partiallvembed said band within the material of the packing case, particularly atthe corners thereof.` At this stage of the operation the band lior themaior part et its length drawn taut around the case, but the endportions oli' the band are irse or loosen the instrument at this timeoccupving a spaced relation with respect to the loose ends of the band.The operator is thus enabled to place a sealing and anchoring member (dinto engagement with the loose ends p and p' of the band, in the Inannerdisclosed in application Serial No. gl-(LO filed' bv the assigneeherein.The maior part of the band is under tension while the sealing device isbeing fitted upon the loose ends of the band and during the operationsof driving said sealing device into the material ofthe packing case andattaching the end portions ot the band to the sealing device. The modeof attaching the end portions oi the band to the sealine; deviceconsists in bending the ends p and p around corners of the sealingdevice, as illustrated in the upper right-hand portion of Fig. 2, theextreme end portions of said loose ends being tucked or inserted beneaththe top of the sealing device. The band having been applied, stretchedand fastened, the operator turns the screw spindle in a direction torelease the lgripping plates trom Contact with the stretched band,whereupon the entire device may be removed from contact with the packageand the band.

lt will be noted th( t in my instrument it is not necessary to lift theend portions of the band away from the shipping package in order toengage said end portions with the gripping devices of the stretchinginstrument, but, on the contrary, the band during the stretchingoperation iis in contact with the shippingr package at those portions ofthe band which are gripped by the stretching device, as a result ofwhich there is no appreciable slackening in the tension of the bandafter securing the ends oi said band and upon removing the stretchingdevice.

Although I have shown and described the implement `as embodying in itsconstruction a screw spindle which is provided with a single orcontinuous thread, it is apparent that, should it be desired to expeditethe operation, said screw spindle may beprovided with a double thread,oneoi which threadsl is right handed and the other left handed.

Ha ving thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. A band tightener embodying aplurality of heads each provided with band-gripping jaws, a spindle formoving the heads relatively one to the other, and means. for opening andclosing the band-gripping jaws of said heads, said ,opening and closingmeans being actuated by the rotation of said spindle and said openingand closing means being effective H in actuating the gripping jawssuccessively on the said heads.

2th band tightener `embodying a plurality of heads each provided with aplurality ol. band-gripping jaws, a spindle7 means operated by` arotative movement of the spindle for imparting relative movement to saidheads whereby the heads approach and recede with respect one to theother, andjaw movement of said spindle `for opening or closingthcband-gripping `jaws of one head subsequently to the operation of openingand closing the band-gripping jaws of the other head.

El. A band tightener embodying a plural.- ity of heads each providedwith a fixed jaw, a screw. spindle and means enacting theres with toreffecting relative movement between said heads whereby the heads arecaused to approach and recede relatively one to the other, a pluralityof movable jaws one pivoted to each head in position for coperation withthe fixed jaw on said head, and jaw-operating means actuatedsuccessively by the rotation of the spindle for opening and closing themovable jaw of one head subseqnently to the operation of opening orclosing the movable jaw of the other head.

4l. A band tightener embodying a plurality of heads each provided with afixed jaw, a screw spindle and means coacting therewith for effectingrelative movement between said heads whereby the heads are caused toapproach and recede relatively one to theother, a plurality of movablejaws one pivoted to each head in position for coperaico operating meansactuated by a rotative ilo the fixed'jaws of said pivoted to each headin tion with the fixed jaw on said head, and

directly with the movable jaws for opening and closing said' movablejaws relatively to head, said cam-actuated means under the influence ofthe spindle being effective in closing the band-gripping jaws prior to arelative movement between the two heads.

5. A` band tightener embodying a plurality of heads each provided with afixed jaw, a screw spindle and means coacting there- Vwith for effectingrelative movement between said heads whereby the heads are caused toapproach and recede relatively one to the other, a plurality of movablejaws one position for coperation with the fixed jaw on said head,jawyoperating members slidably fitted to said heads and operable by therotative movement of said screw spindle and means whereby the slidingmovement of said jaw operating members is communicated to the movablejawsfor opening and closing the same.

6. A band tightener embodying a plurality of heads each provided with afixed jaw, a screw-spindle and means coacting therewith for effectingrelative movement between said heads whereby lthe heads are caused toapproach and recede relatively one to the other, a plurality of movablejaws one pivoted'to each head in position for cooperation with the fixedjaw on said head, jaw operating members movable relatively to the heads,means operated by the rotation ofthe screw spindle for impartingmovement to said jaw operating members, and

cam faces on the jaw operating members and the movable jaws whereby saidmovable jaws are opened and closed relatively to the fixed jawsl by therotation of the screw spindle. i

V7. A band tightener embodying heads provided with pivoted grippers,said heads and grippers being provided in the under faces thereof withmeans for receiving a band, combined with a screw spindle having alimited longitudinal movement relative to one of said heads and fordirectly actuating another of the heads whereby a relative movement iseffected between the heads, said screw-spindle operating to successivelymove the pivoted grippers into cooperative relation to the directlyactuated head and the slidably engaged head.

8. A band tightener embodying a plural ity of heads, band-gripperscarried thereby, a nut slidingly fitted to the head, ar bushingslidingly fitted to the other head, a spindle coperating with the nutand the bushing, and means unitary with the nut and the bushing foractuating the band-grippcrs by the sliding travel of the spindle withthe heads.

9. A band tightener embodying a plurality of heads, band-gripperscarried thereby, cam devices slidably mounted in said heads and.coperating with said band-grippers, and an operating member having acombined rotary and sliding movement relatively to said heads, thesliding movement of which member actuates said cam devices and therotary movement thereof imparts movement to the heads relatively to eachother.

10. A band tightener embodying a plural ity of heads provided withpivoted grippcrs, cam plates slidably mounted on said heads foractuating said grippers, and a screw spindle having a sliding movementrelative to one head and operating to directly actuate the other head tothereby produce a relative movement between the heads, said heads havingmeans mounted therein capable ol endwise movement by the screw to eilecta sliding travel of the cam plates for actuatino" the pivoted grippers.

n testimony whereof l have hereunto signed my name.

VINCENT RAGONA.

